S3 Accursed Trade Lessons

Life (and death) on the Middle Passage

Transporting the slaves to the New World

Learning objective

To investigate the logisitics of the Middle Passage and to examine the impact of the passage on the slaves

Be able to list Be able to list the the

advantages advantages and and

disadvantages disadvantages of Loose/Tight of Loose/Tight

PackPack

Be able to Be able to explain why explain why

one of the two one of the two methods methods would be would be

better for the better for the slave ownersslave owners

Demonstrate an Demonstrate an understanding of understanding of the impact of the the impact of the Middle Passage Middle Passage on the slaves on the slaves

and to establish and to establish the key features the key features of the passage to of the passage to

AmericaAmerica

Success Success Criteria: Criteria:

What are What are you aiming you aiming to achieve to achieve this lesson?this lesson?

Starter

What can we remember about the Slave Trade from last year?

Key Terms

Write these terms in your jottersLoose PackTight PackAs we go through the lesson, you will have the opportunity to write out a definition of these terms

Method Advantages Disadvantages

Tight Pack

You had a lot more slaves in the hold so

you were able to make more money from the

survivors

More would die

Loose Pack Fewer diedYou had less to start

with so there could be less profit in the trip

Information 1Slavers made money for each slave they took to the markets in the Caribbean. They had to make a decision about how to pack the slaves into their holds. They could put them in Tight Pack which meant cramming the slaves into a hold that was only five feet high with a shelf to take even more. They could put them in loose pack. This was where slaves had more space, space to lie down and move around

Can you think Can you think of any of any

advantages to advantages to these these

methods? Can methods? Can you think of you think of

any any disadvantagedisadvantage

s?s?

Individual work

Use the information opposite to define the terms Tight Pack and Loose Pack in your jotters

Slavers made money for each slave they took to the markets in the Caribbean. They had to make a decision about how to pack the slaves into their holds. They could put them in Tight Pack which meant cramming the slaves into a hold that was only five feet high with a shelf to take even more. They could put them in loose pack. This was where slaves had more space, space to lie down and move around

Look at this pictureLook at this picture

Which method does Which method does it show?it show?

Why do you think it Why do you think it was produced?was produced?

Does this make it Does this make it more or less more or less trustworthy?trustworthy?

The stench of the hold, the The stench of the hold, the heat and the crowding, heat and the crowding, which meant that each ahd which meant that each ahd scarcely room to turn, scarcely room to turn, almost suffocated us. There almost suffocated us. There was sickness among the was sickness among the slaves of which many died. slaves of which many died. Things were worse because Things were worse because of the rubbing of the chains of the rubbing of the chains and the filth of the lavatory and the filth of the lavatory buckets into which children buckets into which children often fell. I became so sick often fell. I became so sick that, because I was a that, because I was a young boy, my chains were young boy, my chains were removed and I was allowed removed and I was allowed to stay on deck.to stay on deck.

By Olaudah Equiano who By Olaudah Equiano who was captured in Africa and was captured in Africa and taken to the West Indiestaken to the West Indies

We chain the men two by We chain the men two by two when they come two when they come aboard. We feed them aboard. We feed them twice a day, at ten in the twice a day, at ten in the morning and four in the morning and four in the evening. We feed them evening. We feed them mainly maize ground into a mainly maize ground into a porridge, but three times a porridge, but three times a week we give them boiled week we give them boiled horse-beans which they horse-beans which they like. This helps against like. This helps against disease because it seems disease because it seems to cure the dysentery and to cure the dysentery and prevent the flux. These prevent the flux. These often ruin voyages through often ruin voyages through deaths. We also dance deaths. We also dance them for an hour or two to them for an hour or two to bagpies, harp and fiddle for bagpies, harp and fiddle for exercise to help their exercise to help their healthhealth

T. Phillips who was a slave T. Phillips who was a slave ship captainship captain

Once the ship was out at Once the ship was out at sea, slaves were brought sea, slaves were brought up on deck, usually a few up on deck, usually a few at a time, to be fed and for at a time, to be fed and for exercise. Those who would exercise. Those who would not exercise on deck to not exercise on deck to keep fit were whipped. The keep fit were whipped. The crew often mistreated the crew often mistreated the slaves especially the slaves especially the women. Many slaves died women. Many slaves died on the Middle Passage from on the Middle Passage from diseases, sickness, harsh diseases, sickness, harsh treatment and poor food. treatment and poor food. So did many of the crew. So did many of the crew. We don’t know how many We don’t know how many slaves died but it seems slaves died but it seems likely that about 15% died. likely that about 15% died. Some managed to lose no Some managed to lose no slaves!slaves!

From an modern textbookFrom an modern textbook

A CB

Find three quotes which show mistreatment of the slaves on the Middle Passage

Find two quotes which show that the slaves were treated in such a way as to ensure they survived

The stench of the hold, the heat The stench of the hold, the heat and the crowding, which meant and the crowding, which meant that each ahd scarcely room to that each ahd scarcely room to turn, almost suffocated us. There turn, almost suffocated us. There was sickness among the slaves of was sickness among the slaves of which many died. Things were which many died. Things were worse because of the rubbing of worse because of the rubbing of the chains and the filth of the the chains and the filth of the lavatory buckets into which lavatory buckets into which children often fell. I became so children often fell. I became so sick that, because I was a young sick that, because I was a young boy, my chains were removed boy, my chains were removed and I was allowed to stay on and I was allowed to stay on deck.deck.

By Olaudah Equiano who was By Olaudah Equiano who was captured in Africa and taken to captured in Africa and taken to the West Indiesthe West Indies

Look again at source A

How trustworthy is this source? Find three reasons why this source could be trusted by the historian.

Find one reason why this source might not be trusted.

Remember to answer in full sentences

We chain the men two by We chain the men two by two when they come two when they come aboard. We feed them aboard. We feed them twice a day, at ten in the twice a day, at ten in the morning and four in the morning and four in the evening. We feed them evening. We feed them mainly maize ground into a mainly maize ground into a porridge, but three times a porridge, but three times a week we give them boiled week we give them boiled horse-beans which they horse-beans which they like. This helps against like. This helps against disease because it seems disease because it seems to cure the dysentery and to cure the dysentery and prevent the flux. These prevent the flux. These often ruin voyages through often ruin voyages through deaths. We also dance deaths. We also dance them for an hour or two to them for an hour or two to bagpies, harp and fiddle for bagpies, harp and fiddle for exercise to help their exercise to help their healthhealth

T. Phillips who was a slave T. Phillips who was a slave ship captainship captain

Once the ship was out at Once the ship was out at sea, slaves were brought sea, slaves were brought up on deck, usually a few up on deck, usually a few at a time, to be fed and for at a time, to be fed and for exercise. Those who would exercise. Those who would not exercise on deck to not exercise on deck to keep fit were whipped. The keep fit were whipped. The crew often mistreated the crew often mistreated the slaves especially the slaves especially the women. Many slaves died women. Many slaves died on the Middle Passage from on the Middle Passage from diseases, sickness, harsh diseases, sickness, harsh treatment and poor food. treatment and poor food. So did many of the crew. So did many of the crew. We don’t know how many We don’t know how many slaves died but it seems slaves died but it seems likely that about 15% died. likely that about 15% died. Some managed to lose no Some managed to lose no slaves!slaves!

From an modern textbookFrom an modern textbookLook again at Source B and C

Find three things that they agree on

Find one thing that they disagree on

Be able to list Be able to list the the

advantages advantages and and

disadvantages disadvantages of Loose/Tight of Loose/Tight

PackPack

Be able to Be able to explain why explain why

one of the two one of the two methods methods would be would be

better for the better for the slave ownersslave owners

Demonstrate an Demonstrate an understanding of understanding of the impact of the the impact of the Middle Passage Middle Passage on the slaves on the slaves

and to establish and to establish the key features the key features of the passage to of the passage to

AmericaAmerica



plenary

Imagine you were a captain of a slave ship, which method would you choose and why?Use key information that you have learned during this lesson

Resistance on the middle passage

How did slaves resist?

Learning objective

To investigate the different methods of resistance used by the slaves and the responses to them

HOTSAnalysis: What do you think? What is the

relationship? Can you

compare?

Be able to list Be able to list the different the different methods of methods of resistanceresistance

Be able to Be able to explain what explain what was the most was the most

effective effective method of method of resistance resistance

used by the used by the slavesslaves

Be able to Be able to evaluate the evaluate the effectiveness effectiveness of resistance of resistance by the slavesby the slaves



Information gathering

You will have ten minutes to read through pages 16-20 of the booklet you have been givenYou may take notes if you wish

Complete this table

Method of Resistance Source it is in Quote to back it up

Taking advantage of a sick crew

Attacking crew members at meal times

Using trusted slaves to get them weapons/tools

Committing suicide

Using women to smuggle needed items

Method of Resistance

Source it is in Quote to back it up

Taking advantage of a sick crew S

the crew was short of officers because the captain and first mate

had died of disease’

Attacking crew members at meal

timesR

In mid-Atlantic the slaves suddenly swarmed around him and beat out his

brains with their wooden feeding bowls’

Using trusted slaves to get them

weapons/toolsP & Q

Young slave ... Smuggled a large steel spike’ ‘four of these boys found a chisel, some knives and stones and

passed them to the men’

Committing suicide V & W

one slave tried to cut his own throat ... Then refused to eat’ ‘two

slaves in irons jump overboard’

Using women to help in their plans U ‘They and the woman crept up on the

sentries’

Extending your understanding

This is where we use our HOTSCan you categorise all of the ways in which the slave ship crews stopped resistanceWhy do you think the crews were so afraid of resistance?

Can you categorise all of the ways in which the slave ship crews stopped resistance?

Prevention Punishment

Using chains and shackles Flogging

Guards kept at the hatchways Thumbscrews

Armed crewmen Shooting at rebelsFixing wounds to prevent

suicide Execution as an example

Throwing slaves overboard

Why do you think the crews were so afraid of resistance?

The crews were so afraid of resistance for two reasons. They knew that they were a small group of people and could be easily overpowered and they also knew that they would lose a lot of money if they lost slaves

Connections

I will give you a factYou need to then think of another fact that links with itTry to use a connective to help you

The PlantationsSelling the slaves in the Caribbean

Look at this Look at this picturepicture

Find five Find five things you things you

would like to would like to know about itknow about it

What do you What do you find find

interesting interesting about this about this picture?picture?

Learning objective

To examine and analyse the different methods used by slavers to ensure that they made the maximum amount of money from their slaves

What was it like?

When slaves got to the West Indies, the slaves were prepared before they were sold. The better and healthier the slaves looked, the more they got at auction. They were shaved, washed and then rubbed with oil or beeswax to make their skin nice and shiny. Sometimes, voyages would last longer as captains travelled to the city where they would get the best price for their slaves

Key auction termsBy Lot: slaves By Lot: slaves were sold one were sold one

at a time with a at a time with a traditional traditional

auction auction approachapproach

By Scramble: Slaves not By Scramble: Slaves not good enough to be sold good enough to be sold

individually, were put in a individually, were put in a small enclosure. Buyers small enclosure. Buyers

would simply grab as would simply grab as many as they wanted many as they wanted (either paying a fixed (either paying a fixed

amount per slave or per amount per slave or per group of slaves)group of slaves)

Refuse: Slaves not taken Refuse: Slaves not taken in the scramble were sold in the scramble were sold

in lots to anyone who in lots to anyone who would take them. Some would take them. Some were left to die. Others were left to die. Others were bought by doctors were bought by doctors who got them healthier who got them healthier

and then sold them for a and then sold them for a profit but some were profit but some were

worked to deathworked to death

Source work

How useful is Source A as evidence of the effects of a Scramble?

You might wish to think about - Who wrote it (what he would have known), when the source comes from, what the source was written for, what is in the source and what is not in the source

When the signal was given, the When the signal was given, the buyers rushed into the yard where buyers rushed into the yard where the slaves were kept, and chose the slaves were kept, and chose the ones that they liked the best. the ones that they liked the best. The noise, the clamour and the The noise, the clamour and the eagerness shown on the faces of eagerness shown on the faces of the buyers increased the fear of the buyers increased the fear of the terrified Africans. In this way the terrified Africans. In this way relations and friends were relations and friends were separated, most of them never separated, most of them never saw each other againsaw each other again

Olaudah Equiano, a former slaveOlaudah Equiano, a former slave

feedback

Let’s listen to some of your answers

Plenary

What do you now know that you didn’t know at the start of the lesson?

S3 Accursed Trade Lessons

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